Game Boy

Last Friday I had what I thought would be an exciting, enticing, and fun date. I was as wrong as the day is long. My Friday night rendezvous was horribly cute (if you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a sucker for the horribly cute ones). And the night I met him when he slipped me his number I was more than intrigued and called him the next day. Our back and forth chats went on for a week until we finally met up on Friday.

Have you ever been let down ladies? Have you ever woke up in the morning blow dried, flat ironed, deep conditioned, washed, rinsed, dried again and then styled your hair only to walk outside and have the rain pour down on your face and ruin your day? Those days pretty much blow. And so did my date.

My date was 15 minutes late (no biggie). He’d worked extra hard to pick out his outfit (read sarcasm) of cargo shorts, skater shoes, and a stylish wallet with a chain that connected to the front of his belt. His t-shirt was reminiscent of an Ed Hardy knock off and he wore the most peculiar Clark Kent glasses that left me unconvinced they actually served a purpose.

His attire limited us to beers only and if I was lucky we might even grab a long board and head to the skate boarding parks along Lake Michigan. On our walk to the neighborhood bar I was informed he sewed his own clothes and had recently purchased a sewing machine. Endearing for some, horribly awkward for one that has hardware connecting his cash to his behind.

We walked and chatted. The weather was gorgeous and he indicated that he was also an amateur photographer and wished he had brought his good camera. “I do have a small camera that I carry around to capture these moments,” he said as he reached into his pocket to pull out what would soon be discussed with every girlfriend that would listen...

It was smooth. It had round edges and a sleek finish that was undeniably… baby blue.
A Game Boy Advance. Oh yes, and it had a built in camera to accompany the high tech stylus that he maneuvered with such ease.

The rest of the evening is a blur. I remember sharing a pizza, a fumbling lunge at the end of the night in an attempt to kiss me, and the “give me a call sometime” awkwardness when it was clear there would be no sometime. Ever.

First dates can sometimes be an uncomfortable experience. First dates with someone who carries around a game console in his back pocket is even more awkward. People can be quirky. They can be unique. And when you find love you’ll accept the inner workings and nuances of the person of your dreams. That being said, even if you’re middle name is Mario (or Luigi) and you know how to “kick, push, and coast” please (I beg of you) leave your Game Boy at home.